Method of setting tower footings



June.27,1939. MAPITHO D 2,163,808

METHOD OF SETTING TOWER FOOTINGS Filed April 16, 19:57

flTTOR/VEY.

Patented June 27, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 METHOD OF SETTINGTOWER FOOTINGS Myron A. Pithoud, Long Beach, Calif.

Application April 16, 1937, Serial No. 137,303

2 Claims.

This invention relates to the method of setting tower footings, wherebythe various piers and the coupling member to which a leg of the tower issecured, are accurately set and spaced.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel method of setting towerfootings which eliminates the use of large and cumbersome templetsheretofore in use and which enable the contractor to quickly'andefiectively set the tower piers and the coupling member in each pier inthe proper positions.

Still another object is to provide a method of setting tower footings,whereby each footing can be set separately, thereby reducing the amountof equipment necessary for excavation and setting.

An advantage of my method is that the tower footings can be set on roughcontours where each footing is on a different elevation.

Still another advantage is the perfection in setting each footing, allhuman errors being reduced to a minimum.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from theaccompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and theappended claims.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view illustrating my method of settingtower footings.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view of the adjusting jig.

.Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the calibrated plate.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same.

In setting the tower footings for structures such as power line towersand the like, the towers are spaced at fixed distances, these distancesbeing determined by the engineer. The separate piers are set either in asquare or in a rectangle and where the power line passes through roughor mountainous country, the various piers are seldom at the sameelevation.

Heretofore a square or rectangular templet has been used to determinethe position of the four piers and also the position of the couplingmember which is set in each of the piers. It is obvious in roughterrain, a great difiiculty would be experienced in properly placing along and cumbersome rectangular templet. My method and apparatusincludes the following:

The central line of the transmission line is indicated at I. Bymeasuring along the line I, a distance given on the engineers map, it ispossible to accurately set the central point 2, over which the transitis positioned. The point 2 is the exact center of the square orrectangle formed by the four piers of the tower. When the transit is seton the point 2, a simple calculation will determine 5 the angle 3 and byturning this angle with the transit, the telescope will sight along theline 4 and will therefore bisect one corner angle of the square orrectangle. The distance along the line 4 can be calculated and thus thecenter of a pier 5 is actually determined. The other 3 piers are set ina like manner. It will be evident from the foregoing description that itis immaterial whether the piers are set at the same elevation or not. Aslong as a line can be sighted from the transit, setting at the center ofthe rectangle to each of the footings, it is possible to accurately seteach of the footings. Thus the footings can be set, one at a time, whichis advantageous, particularly where water conditions are encountered andit is necessary to pump out the excavation in order to set the concretepier. Transmission towers are constructed of structural members andtherefore a coupling member is embedded in the concrete of each of thepiers 5 and the legs of the tower are bolted to this coupling member.The coupling member shown at 6 must be accurately positioned in the pierso that the base of the tower will be a perfect rectangle. An adjustingjig 1 includes two longitudinally adjustable fittings each of whichincludes a tube 8. which is bolted or otherwise removably attached at 9to the coupling member 6. A second tube Ill is attached to the tube 8 bymeans of the screw II. The screw H is provided with left and right-handthreads which screw into the tubes 8 and HI respectively so that whenthe screw is rotated, the tubes will be adjusted longitudinally for thepurpose of positioning the coupling members 6 as will be furtherdescribed. A pin I2 is driven through the hole l3 in the tube It) andturns into the ground, thus anchoring the outer end of the tube. Plate Mis bolted or otherwise removably attached to the coupling member 6 andthis plate is calibrated 45 substantially as shown at l5 and by sightingthrough the telescope of the transit, the line 4 can be made to bisectthe angle of the coupling member 6. The adjustment of the couplingmember is accomplished by adjusting the screws I I in the two jigs atthe direction of the man operating the transit. When the coupling memberis in proper alignment and at a proper distance from the point 2, theconcrete of the pier is allowed to set, thus fixing the coupling member.The other three piers and coupling members are set in the same manner.The jig I is removed from the coupling member after it is set, and isthen moved to the next pier where the operation as previously describedis repeated.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An adjusting jig for setting tower footings, comprising a couplingmember adapted to be fixedly mounted in a tower footing, a pair of barsextending angularly from the coupling member, means securing each of thebars to the coupling member, means fixedly securing the outer end ofeach of the bars and means adapted to longitudinally adjust each of saidbars, and a sighting plate removably mounted on the coupling memher,said plate having an indicating mark thereon adapted to be aligned withan alidade mounted within the confines of the tower footing.

2. An adjusting jig for setting tower footings, comprising a couplingmember adapted to be fixedly mounted in each tower footing, an adjustingjig comprising a pair of arms extending angularly from the couplingmember, means removably attaching the inner end of said arms to thecoupling member, means fixedly securing the outer ends of the arms, eachof said arms comprising a pair of tubes, a screw threaded into saidtubes, said screw being adapted and arranged to longitudinally adjustsaid tubes whereby the coupling member is adjusted, and a sighting plateremovably attached to the coupling member.

MYRON A. PITHOUD;

